Related Career Categories

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• Dental Assistant
• Dental Hygienist
• Dental Technician
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• Home Health Aide
• Massage Therapist
• Medical Technician
• Medical Technologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Ophthalmic Technician
• Optician
• Optometrist
• Paramedic
• Pharmacist
• Pharmacy Technician
• Physical Therapist
• Physical Therapy Assistant
• Radiologic Technologist
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School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Career: "I was surprised that a number of Dentists that I've worked with do not properly follow sterilization and personal protective equipment. I was also surprised to discover that working on patients outside of school is a lot more difficult because many patients are uncooperative and do not listen to your advice."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"I truly feel the best part of the job is getting paid to talk all day!! I really enjoy people. Working in the dental office usually means a small staff of only around 6 to 12 people. This can be good and bad depending on what you like. I enjoy the small group and you get very close to your co-workers. I also like the money. We make an average of about 40.00 dollars an hour. What I don't like sometimes is you can get a patient with a really dirty mouth and it can be a little disgusting to clean sometimes, but you do get used to it."

"I would say, at the end of the day, I have been a positive influence on someone's life, they leave my office having done something to benefit their health. The worst part of my job by far, oddly enough, is dealing with the public. I just want to do my job of cleaning your teeth. Once a dental hygienist has experience in the field, it isn't a big deal and we really don't think about the fact that our gloved hands are in a stranger's mouth. The most difficult part is that we have to deal with many personalities within a day and not everyone is easy to work on."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"I would maybe ask a dentist if I could watch in his office one day to make sure I liked it. School is a huge commitment even though you are finished in two years. (There are also four year programs that lead to a bachelor's degree.) It is not like going to a regular college where you may have just a few classes in a day. You usually attend classes just three days a week, but the days that you spend there are long: 8AM to 4PM, mostly. The other days you are in a clinic for the whole day. School does go by fast but is a pretty heavy work load. In school your sciences are very important, so you need to do pretty well in high school science classes. It can also be pretty competitive to get into school as there are not many that specialize in dental hygiene."

"I would not stop at an associate degree in dental hygiene. I would continue my education in a field to have a plan B for when the novelty wears off and dental hygiene isn't what you want to do anymore. I would take Latin in high school to facilitate an easier time in college. I would remember that this is a demanding job both physically and mentally even though it looks like it isn't. Our hands and necks and backs take a beating."